Doom From Another World

March 7, 2016

The first thing Jack sensed upon regaining consciousness was the heat and crackle of a fire. He moaned as the full extent of his injuries began to hit in like a tumble down a cliff.

“Oh, you’re awake,” Tynilia voice said, “Lucky thing you aren’t the only healer in the group or you’d have never woken up.”

He moaned. “I feel this bad after being healed?”

“Go ahead and heal yourself more, if you have to, but save some for me. Huth used most of his on you and Shadowknife’s skills were stretched pretty thin trying to help the rest of us.”

Sitting up, he saw she was the only one that shared the fire with him. The sun was just painting the western sky with a sea of violet clouds. The snow covered pass had taken on an indigo sheen, which faded into a pale turquoise as he watched. They must have moved him to a space between a cluster of man high black stones and a good sized pile of firewood rested near the small blaze. Most of the men’s gear also land in piles about their new camp.

“So everyone else is alright?”

“For the most part. There was some argument over whether the Yeti-men should be skinned and/or eaten. In the end Shadowknife and we Tezcatlipoca follows outvoted Huth and the other men when back to do the deed, while Huth set himself to collecting fire wood.”

Jack didn’t speak for a moment and it was Tynilia that broke the silence. “With every delay, I can’t help but wonder if The Darken’s forces have reached my village or maybe destroyed the enter resistance.”

“Well, that other me, seems to be a pretty crafty fellow, hopefully he’s keeping the majority of his forces where they can’t be easily reached.”

“Yes, this world’s incarnation of you does have some skills.”

“It must be strange to know, well intimately, two versions of the same man.”

He saw a grin she failed to conceal. “It’s had its advantages too.”

“Care to try to make use of some of those advantages before they others get back. It’s been a while since we were alone.”

Stalwart

She laughed. “I thought you said you were wounded.”

“I’m feeling better.” Jack moved a bit closer to her and the fire. “Now, just let me heal myself a bit and-”

A shout interrupted him. It sounded like Huth. Even though he could finally understand the man’s native language, he seemed to be yelling something that didn’t translate well.

“That doesn’t sound good,” Tynilia said as they both rushed to their feet.

He healed them both as they hurried out of the ring of stones.

They both stopped in their tracks for neither could believe what they saw. In the foreground Huth sprinted toward them as fast as the snow covered mountain would allow, but what loomed behind him caused Jack to wonder if he wasn’t still asleep and having a nightmare by the fire.

Crashing through the snow was some type of automated machine. It was roughly human in form, but its chest had a wide rectangular shape and round arms which ended in fingers almost as long as Jack stood tall. The thing, which should not have been allowed to exist on this primitive world of magic, stood over a hundred feet tall.

“Vile must have sent it after us. I heard rumors he trades creatures and technology with his incarnations on other worlds.”